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Saturday, July 13, 2013

7/13 Links: Fighting the Myth Makers, Banned Iranian Director in Israel, Nasrallah’s Cloak is on Fire

From Ian:

Barry Rubin: How the Syrian Civil War and Egyptian Coup Positively Transform Israel's Strategic Situation
There are some subtle issues coming out of the Syrian civil war for Israel. It is clear that Israel is neutral regarding the war, that it won't get dragged into the civil war, and that the longer the war goes on it is better as long as it doesn’t damage Israeli national security.
It should be equally clear, however, that in the end Israel wants the rebels to win. Syria’s regime is supported by Hizballah, Iran, and the Assad government. These are the greater of the two evils. The coup against Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood regime greatly reduced the threat of Sunni Islamism.compared to that of Iran.
Again, it should be underlined, however, that the difference isn’t perceived as huge. Military institutions are generally more favorable to the rebels, given their anti-Iran nuclear weapons’ emphasis. Other agencies remember, however, that a Sunni Islamist Syria would still be a problem.
Caroline Glick: Column one: Misrepresenting American Jewry
According to senior Israeli officials, and leaked PA documents, after Obama came into office, his senior advisers told their Israeli interlocutors that they controlled the American Jewish community. Under Obama, these Israeli leaders were told, there would be no more American Jewish voices opposing the two-state solution or opposing pressure on Israel.
With J Street, they said, AIPAC would no longer defend Israel.
Maybe they were right. But what is certainly true, is that despite its audits, its alleged denials of nonprofit status, and its American Jewish mouthpieces, the Obama administration has not silenced the American Jews. From coast to coast, authentic, courageous American Jewish groups are forming and organizing. Their members understand that there are things that are more important than multi-million dollar budgets and invitations to White House parties.
PM to push US for ‘more credible military option’ on Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly to launch a new, last-ditch effort in the next few days to persuade the United States to credibly revive the military option against Iran.
If this proves unsuccessful, Channel 2 reported, Netanyahu will have to decide whether to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities by this winter at latest, because after that, the report indicated, the assessment is that Israel’s window for military intervention will close.
Into the fray: Incompetent, impotent, irrelevant
With all the unmitigated brutality of the ongoing horrors across the Arab world, it beggars belief that the government of Israel is still actively engaged in continuing discussions in pursuit of a formula that will bring the country closer, and make it more vulnerable, to the source of these horrors.
Given the acts of unspeakable barbarity – the beheadings, the rapes and even occasional cannibalism – that have become the hallmark of Arab society in the post-Spring era, coupled with the disastrous failures of past attempts to cajole the Palestinian- Arabs in to a peace treaty by territorial withdrawal and political appeasement, it seems inconceivable that the notion of Palestinian statehood could still retain a shred of credibility.
Consider This: Fighting the myth-makers from hell
Karsenty, Shahaf, Landes, Shapira, Poller and others are angels who stepped in where the Israeli government feared to tread, proving themselves true Jewish heroes, men and women who fought for truth and exposed terrorist lies and blood libels responsible for Jewish deaths, including that of Myriam Monsenego, the French child shot by a Muslim barbarian who cited revenge for al-Dura as a motive.
While former president Nicolas Sarkozy honored Charles Enderlin with the Legion of Honor, we Jews have yet to honor these heroes with anything. I propose the Israel Prize. At least.
In the meantime I thank them all for their tireless efforts to bring light into the darkness.
I thank them on my own behalf, and on behalf of the people of Israel and Jews everywhere.
US sources say Israel attacked Syrian weapons depot
Three unidentified US officials told CNN that Israel carried out an attack on a Syrian weapons depot last week, seemingly confirming reports to that affect that were published in the Arab press.
The sources said late Friday that the series of explosions that took place at the Syrian port city of Latakia July 5 were the result of airstrikes by Israeli warplanes targeting advanced, Russian-made anti-ship missiles that were stored there. Several regime soldiers were reportedly killed in the attack.
The story was taken down from CNN’s website shortly after it was published.
Muslim Brotherhood Leader Tariq Ramadan Blames U.S. and Israel for Morsi Ouster
According to Tariq Ramadan, all roads lead not to Rome but to America. A long-winded piece by Ramadan, the grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna, (first noted by the Global Muslim Brotherhood Watch) uses circuitous logic and conspiracy theories (“It was as though people had been deprived of the basic necessities in order to drive them into the streets”) to blame last week’s ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on an ongoing US-Zionist conspiracy (in cahoots with Salafi co-conspirators no less).
Report: Morsi Could Face Treason Charge, Execution for Hamas Aided Jailbreak
Egyptian prosecutors announced Thursday that they will investigate allegations that ousted president Mohamed Morsi escaped from prison during the 2011 revolution with help from the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, the Associated Press has reported.
Syrian, Palestinian Roles Seen in Egypt Street Violence
There is growing evidence that the rumors are true. On July 6, the Central Cairo Prosecution announced that it had a Syrian national in custody, Mohamed Hassan al-Berdkany, who was arrested a day earlier while firing birdshot at protestors from Qasr Al-Nile bridge leading to Tahrir Square. Berdkany, who fled with his family from Syria after the start of its civil war, admitted to receiving cash and a shotgun from the Brotherhood. He named another Syrian, Ahmed al-Soury, as a key figure recruiting Syrians to join Brotherhood protests. He also identified a Palestinian, Bassel al-Feroun, as responsible for paying Palestinians to take part.
Egyptian military bombards militant towns in Sinai
Military attack helicopters rattle over the impoverished desert towns of northern Sinai and the sound of gunfire erupts nightly, raising fears among residents of a looming confrontation between Egypt’s military and Islamic militants who have intensified attacks since the ouster of president Mohammed Morsi.
Hezbollah’s suicide bombing tactics come back to haunt it
Hezbollah’s current troubles don’t end with suicide bombers either. Even if the group’s security forces manage to thwart future attacks, Sunni terror groups showed in a recent strike that they are also capable of firing rockets into Dahiyeh.
Hezbollah is also absorbing a high number of fatalities fighting in Syria — “a triple digit figure” as one Israeli defense official put it – and sustaining thousands of injured, most of whom never make it back to active duty.
Less than a month ago, IDF chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz remarked that “the fire has reached the fringes of Nasrallah’s cloak.” Now, the whole cloak is burning.
On 16th Birthday, Pakistani Girl Shot in Head Speaks at UN (VIDEO)
The Taliban tried to murder her for promoting education for girls, but on her 16th birthday - 9 months after being shot in the head at close range - Malala sat at the center of the world stage and continued to promote free, compulsory education.
In Israel, a banned Iranian director finds echoes of home
It was a poignant meeting of cultures and minds at this week’s premiere in Israel of “The Gardener,” a documentary by Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Makhmalbaf was banned from Iran eight years ago, when his more than 30 books and films that address Western ideologies of democracy and freedom from religion and authoritarian dictatorship were marked as propaganda and banned by the Iranian government. Since fleeing Iran, Makhmalbaf and his filmmaking family have shuffled around Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Paris, but he said he was driven out of each place because of terrorist plots against him.
Ads for Islam 'misquote Shaw from bogus book'
The advertisements quote Shaw proclaiming the prophet Mohammed was "the saviour of humanity" in a book he is supposed to have written entitled The Genuine Islam.
But International Shaw Society treasurer Richard F Dietrich said he had compiled a complete list of Shaw's works, which did not include the book.
"I think The Genuine Islam is bogus," he said. In his writings, Shaw described the religion in a 1933 letter to Rev Ensor Walters as "ferociously intolerant".
Chloé Valdary: Student Perspective: CAMERA Trip Inspires Future Jewish Leaders
We met with the indomitable Khaled Abu Toameh, who spoke of the intransigence of Western media and its inability to understand that neither the PA nor Hamas want peace. Rather the PA is feigning its desire for peace in order to string along those same Western journalists who sit comfortably in cafe shops spewing nonsense on their keyboards about Israel, claiming that to change the narrative would be too unsafe for them and their peers.